Bed bugs are flat, reddish-brown, oval insects up to 4 to 5 mm long or the size of an apple seed. After they’ve fed on blood they become swollen and reddish. Newly hatched nymphs are approximately the size of the head of a pin and are white or tan until they feed. Bed Bugs are most commonly found in mattress seams and box springs, but also mattresses, bed frames, bedding, furniture, carpets, baseboards and bedroom clutter. Even if you cannot see them, you may notice their droppings which leave brown to black stains on mattresses and linens as well as blood stains where they may have eaten or been crushed.

Bed bugs, (Cimex lectularius L.), have gradually become a common urban pest in the past decade. People get bed bugs in various ways such as visiting an infested place, bringing in infested furniture, or through the natural dispersal of bed bugs from an infested neighboring unit within a multi-occupancy dwelling such as an apartment building. Many people try to control bed bugs themselves to avoid the expense of hiring a professional service; however, professional services offer the advantage of a technician that is properly trained in pesticide safety and effective bed bug management. It is recommended to use professional pest control services. However, for those who still wish to control bed bugs on their own, this provides a summary of the cost effective versus money-wasting materials and methods. This information will help you combat bed bugs safely and effectively.

How you get bed bugs:

Bringing them in after staying at a hotel, buying used clothing and not washing it immediately, bringing in old books, guests entering your home, furniture from a dumpster. One fertile female can produce 200-500 healthy eggs during her life and may lay 2-5 eggs per day.

How to prevent bed bugs:

Check for bugs before unpacking after a trip, and examine your hotel room before staying the night. Check the mattress, box spring, bedding seams, headboard, and upholstered wood. Keep laundry in plastic bags that directly into the washer without the bugs escaping. Wash items as hot as possible. Undress on a solid floor rather than a carpet if you suspect there may be bugs on your body. Vacuum off luggage and other items that cannot be washed. Check all used furniture before bringing it into your home. Check in all crevices behind moldings, and other cracks or openings. Do not bring home used mattresses.

Are bed bugs dangerous?

When bitten by a bed bug, not everyone will experience symptoms. Those who do will notice a bit with a red swollen area and a dark red center, bites grouped together in small areas or in lines, and possibly blisters and hives at the bite spot. Bites will be very itchy, and may cause a burning sensation. You will not notice when they bite because the let out a tiny bit of anesthesia into your body beforehand. The symptoms may not always show immediately, and can take a few weeks. Bed bugs will not feed every night, and can go several days to weeks without eating. Luckily bed bugs do not share other diseases when they bite.

How we get rid of bed bugs:

You can try home products sold in stores, but most may not be strong enough or you may not be able to locate all of them. Our experts are trained to know where to look to find the source of your bed bug problem, and will identify bed bugs live or dead. Starting in the bedroom and going through all the target area’s – beds, bed frames, box springs, linens, etc. Our techs will then move on throughout the rest of your home searching through furniture and its surrounding areas. Once the infestation is confirmed, we will build a plan to rid your home of these uninvited guests!